Japan Announces $3.1 Million Grant for Polio Eradication in Pakistan

Islamabad: Japan has announced a grant of $3.1 million for Pakistan’s polio eradication program, aimed at supporting polio vaccination efforts in 2025. The grant will be used to purchase over 20.22 million doses of the polio vaccine to protect children under the age of five from the disease.
This announcement comes at a time when the number of reported polio cases in Pakistan has risen to 59 this year. Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world where polio has not yet been fully eradicated.
The Pakistani government, in partnership with its international collaborators, is preparing to implement a comprehensive and strategic action plan in 2025 to eliminate polio from the country. The plan will target more than 45.4 million children under the age of five, with over 400,000 frontline workers, many of them women, involved in ensuring the vaccination reaches every child.
Ayesha Raza Farooq, Prime Minister’s focal person for polio eradication, emphasized that with Japan’s continuous support, Pakistan is strengthening its efforts to eliminate the disease. She reaffirmed the commitment to reducing polio cases to zero by mid-2025 under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The Japanese government’s unwavering support plays a crucial role in Pakistan’s goal to eradicate polio, and officials are hopeful that this new funding will help make significant strides in the battle against the disease.